Window screen structure



Aug. 21, 1956 Filed Aug. 51, 1953 L. F. LONG 2,759,538

WINDOW SCREEN STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet l l 7 A6 INVENTOR.

.Lzsrsk F. Lo/vq.

FITTOENEYS Aug. 21, 1956 L. F. LONG 2,759,538

WINDOW SCREEN STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 51, 195; :5 Shee ts-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

E E L0- FTTORN Y Aug. 21, 1956 L. F. LONG WINDOW SCREEN STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 31, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

- w 6*. 23 9 BY 6 l I l 0 50 27 22 Z4 HTTORN s United States Patent WINDOWSCREEN STRUCTURE a Lester F. Long,- Rio Grande, NaJ.

' Application August31, "1953,.'SerialNo.7377,737

4' Claims. (Cl. 160'-'-379) .(Grantedunder Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may "be manufactured and 'used by or for theGovernmentofthe United states of America for governmental purposes without thejpay- "ment of any royalties-thereon 'or'therefor.

This invention'pertains to the art of screens and the like for window openings thatpermit 'air passage through 20 "a window and preventbugs'andthe like undesired"things -from" entering, andin which-a panel ofsCreen-fabric' iS -S6Cll16d-fitit8 edges to a frame that fits-'the'windowbpen- The'presentinvent-ion is directed tothe-structure of the screen, and-particularly to structure of the framvaridits means for securing the screen fabric to the frame.

-Embodiment of the invention comprises side and 'end r-ails,-'-and *attaehments between the severalrails at their ends -to-frm' a: rigid frame that borders thescre'en. -Each 'ra'il comprises a body and a trim; both of-sheet material, sheet =metal being usedwhich is formed by bending *itto the"-desired contour. Each body and "trim 'c'omp'ris'es' a strip "of the sheet material, which is forme' d to include several panels extending lengthwise and being-arranged *avidthwise, 't-he several panels being 'forme'clby berids be ltWeen "panels that "extend throughout "the length er "the strip. Thus, nocompound forming -isrequired to form ---the-mater-ial.

E'achb'o'dy comprises a 'face panel that-extends width: wise to its edges constituting'inside"and' outside edges of 'the-"frame border, "the face panel of -the body" constituting a-face ofthe screen frame. An'e'dge pan'el projects *laterally from the face panel -along--the"outsideframe edge i th'efeof to the-extent of the thickness of the screenftame,

*arldconstitutes the edge'of'thescreenframe.

Thetmeansfor securingthe screen fabrid td theframe is "a holderinblucld in each "body, each hoI'cler aJS'O -bing termed by bends which extend-continuously of the -lefigth 3b face panel be'tween" inside and out-sideframe-edgSs, and comprises a trou'gh extending throughout-the length bfi the strip. Elie trough-is depresse'd or p'roje'cted lnto' th surrface vof the' faGepaneI that' formsthface surface the screen frame, =and' projects out of the opposite surface of th'e lbody to con'stittltea 'ridge. The: rid'ge projects 'away 'from zthe isame side 'of' theibody as the edgeqaaneh and sthusirbecomes containedwithin the screeniframe where it iris-'covered -and hiddenby the trim.

The -trim comprises a lengthwise 1 face-panel b'etw'een opposite bordering or edge panels, whichi -for ms'ia face 'of the: screen frame, the face; panel being montoured'r'in ac- :cordance -with the desired contour of the correspondi'ng -.-face "of I the frame. The trim is adapted to wbeuplaced againstzth'e body 015 theridge side thereof, witht'the bordering panels of the trim contacting-the body continuously "lengthwise face-to-faceon respective opposite 'sides o'f the :ridge. The bordering panelsthenware :secured to thebody wa longv- -areas :ofcontact by spot-welding for example. The (face)panel-of=-the trim israised,"whereby:thetrim-bridges N the-Jfabric-hol'ding "ridge; of I the body -which it coverswand which thereby is enclosed and hidden under the face panel f th'e strip. Th'e holder of each 'bo'cly is c'ontained in the di thedrim;it alsoadds stifiness to the rail iand makes the framemore' rigid.

Dhe -trough' of- 'the holder comprises a-throat bfpre'determined width, and a 'base that is somewhat wider. -An

5 felongated ins'ei't fits'into'the throat of the trough,'-and is or f a thi'ckn'e'ss which, including two thicknesses of the :screenfabricgis aI-tight fitithat must be forced through the Tthroat. I'Fhe ins'ert,"-With a layer of screen fabric-wrapped :around it, .fits':snu'gly in ithe base of the trough. A piece 10 of screen is appliedito the frame onthe trough side of-the 'rail1bodies,'--and with its edgesalong the troughsof the 'several rails. 'An insert is' placedalong the throat thereof to seat'inithe 'base. hymeansof 'this simpleoperation,

"the? screen fabricrisifirmlysecured "along its edges to 'the frame, ::and 'the1process of' securing the screen fabric to Ytheframeis quick and inexpensive.

The screen'iframe' of I the present invention 'is adapted towbewassembled'by the: rapid andinexpensiveproceSsof spot-welding.

Bodyhan'd trim "each 'of'the:severa1 sideandelid rails ware preferablyamade'alike. Thusga single set of 'diesfor the "body, and another set 'ofi dies for the trim, sufficient ntotproduceside and end rails. Body and trim 'stn'p are formed in suitable production lengths; and-are cut to=smallher len gths'thatare:appropriate'fonsideand-end rails. The w-en'ds of side an'd' endrraih lengths of body an'd trim are cut on: the' bias'to produce the frame with bevelled or angled corners. :Intthecase of 'Oneiorthe other, "orfi both, -of the sideiand end'rails, the endsi are'cut to inollidetabs rthat [Project Beyond thefi line' of bias cut, and these "tabs eoverlap-face-torface onto companion'surfaces bf'thenext adjacent like-side orrencl rail piece. Thus, with-matched biasedt end cuts ro'f nexteadjacent sideand end -rail pi'eces abutting, the tabs enable adjacent rails' -to be secured to each other at the corners'ofthe frame'by-spot weldsywh'ich sis preferred :because of thei -quickness and-'lowcost of the woperatio'n.

l'n' thei particularr structureiof the: disclosure, thebo'dies aof the several-side and end'rails 'arefirst -a'ttached'to each 40 eother at-the corners ofatheiframeuo complete' the frame .-border. wThereafteryeach-side and-end railis'co'mpl'eted tby-a corresp'ondingztrinibeing-attached to its-body. Trims of adjacent-side and end 'rails are not secured" directly to each other atthe cornersof the frame, 'and 'this lowersthe -':cost oftproduc-tion.

'Eheprinciplesi of 'theinvention will be understood more fully from the. accompanying drawings which show one apractic'al embodiment thereof, and in which r-Ei'g. l is an=elevation facing a screen 1 embodying the presentinvention,

Fig.1 2-is-ian elevationof the screen'of Fig; l on az'g'reat- Ely enlarged scal -and with parts broken away,

Eig. is-an ielevationshowing a detail et Fig. 2, with -:-a break-away for clearness of illustration,

.4 ds an: exploded elevation, illustrating a"step in? the process of assembliug'the screen of'Fig. 1,

Fig. .5 is. an exploded elevation, illustrating another .step .inntheprocess of assembling the screen of-Figul,

Fig. '6is a cross.-section,..taken on line 66 oflF igv2, Fig. 7 is a cross-section,. taken on line'7-7. of Fig. -2, Fig.8 is a crossasectiom takenon line 8--80f "Fig. ZJand Fig. 9"is across-section, taken on line"9--9 of Fig. 4.

A screen embodying the present invention comprises a frame,' illustrated generally at '11, 'Fig. l, 'to which oneorinore areas 1215f screenfabric are attached'at =their 'edges.

' ;Framei11 consists of side rails 15 and en'dgrails 16, vvhich are alike generally and are -disting uished pri- .---marily:by theirrrespective positions =in the frame. The aside' and-z end rails 1-15 .and '16' are; arranged Eto iform' the frame 11, Which borders the area of the screen, and are 3 attached to each other at their ends to constitute corners 17 of the frame.

Pig. 1 shows a full-length screen, so called, and comprises the additional cross rail 18, which extends from one to the other of the side rails 15, and is attached to each at its respective opposite ends. Two smaller areas of screen fabric 12 are secured to frame 11, respectively above and below the cross rail 18.

Each side rail 15 or end rail 16 consists of a body 20 and a trim 21, Figs. 2, 3, 6 and others. Frame 11 is made of sheet material, aluminum sheet being the material of the disclosed embodiment, and each body 20 and each trim 21 is made of a strip of the material and is formed to the desired contour by bending.

Each body 20 of either a side rail 15 or an end rail 16 comprises a lengthwise face panel 22, the surface on one side of which constitutes the face surface of one side of frame 11. Widthwise, the face panel 22 extends from the inner edge 23 to the outer edge 24, which edges correspond with the inner and outer edges of frame 11. In addition to face panel 22, the strip of body 20 comprises the edge panel 25, which extends, widthwise of the strip of body 20, beyond the outer edge 24 of face panel 22. Edge panel 25 extends continuously lengthwise of the strip, and it projects laterally away from face panel 22, by means of a bend along the line 24, to the extent of the thickness of frame 11, thereby constituting the outer edge of the frame.

A holder for the screen fabric 12 is embodied in the several bodies 20 of side and end rails 15 and 16 of frame 11. The holder comprises a trough 27 lengthwise of panel 22 between inner and outer edges 23 and 24. Trough 27 is projected into the face surface of face panel 22, and out of the opposite side to constitute the ridge 28. Edge panel 25 and ridge 28 project from the same side of the strip of face panel 22, and this structure positions the ridge 28 within the thickness of frame 11, where it is enclosed by the trim 21 in a manner to be described hereinafter.

As seen in Fig. 6, the trough 27 with its insert 29 constitutes a holder for screen fabric 12. Trough 27 comprises a throat 30, into which the insert 29 fits tightly, and a base 31, into which the insert seats snugly. Insert 29 constitutes a rod that extends along trough 27, and is cylindrical in the disclosed embodiment. The diameter of rod 29 plus two thicknesses of screen fabric 12 is slightly greater than the throat 20 of trough 27, and constitutes a force fit. Insert 29, with screen fabric 12 wrapped around it, is driven through the throat 30 into the base 31, where it fits tightly and holds the screen fabric 12 secured firmly in frame 11.

All the bodies 28 of the side and end rails 15 and 16 are alike. Body strip is made in convenient production lengths, and is cut into shorter lengths that are appropriate for side and end rails 15 and 16. The face and edge panels 20 and 25 are formed in a production length of body strip, by a bend at 24 that extends throughout the length of the production strip, and the trough 27 also is formed by lengthwise bends to extend throughout the length of the strip in a similar manner. Thus the bodies 20 of side and end rails 15 and 16 are made with a single set of dies, their structure also contributing to simple and low-cost assembly for reasons that will appear hereinfiter. In addition, it will be observed that all the forming is done with simple, straight-line bends, thus eliminating the costly forming dies that are required for complex contours.

The side and end rail lengths of body strip 20 are cut on a 45 bias at their ends to form the bevelled or angled corners 17 seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The inner and outer edges 23 and 24 of adjacent bodies 20 of side and end rails 15 and 16 meet at the corners 17, as also the troughs 27. Thus, the complete holder for an area of screen fabric 12 is an endless trough 23 that ext nds all around the frame, and engages the fabric area along the edges of its four sides.

In the disclosed embodiment, body 20 of each side rail 15 is cut on the bias 33, as seen in Fig. 4, along each of its opposite end edges. Of end rails 16, the bodies 20 are cut on the bias 34, and the cut 34 abuts against the bias cut 33 of the adjacent side rail when the corner 17 is secured to assemble frame 11. The cut of each end edge of bodies 20 of end rails 16 also include the inner and outer tabs 35 and 36, which extend beyond the biased line 37, 38, of cut 34. Tabs 35 and 36 overlap corresponding surfaces of the adjacent side rail. The metal of tabs 35 and 36 is joggled along the line .37, 38, for close abutting relationship between cuts 34 and 33, and to position face panels 22 of side and end rails 15 and 16 in the same plane when tabs 35 and 36 engage in face-to-face relationship with corresponding surfaces of the face panel 22 of side rail 15. Spot welds in the areas of tabs 35 and 36 secure the corners 17, this method of assembly being preferred for its low cost and quick production.

Edge panels 25 in bodies 2% of side rails 15 are extended at their opposite ends. and are bent at 39 to form tabs 40, Figs. 4 and 9, which fit inside edge panels 25 of adjacent end rails 16, and in face-to-face engagement as seen in Fig. 2. Spot welds in the areas of tabs 40 completes the securing of side and end rails 15 and 16 to each other at the corners 17.

If greater rigidity of frame 11 is desired or required, additional inner and outer stiffener panels 41 and 42 may be added as shown.

Stitfener panel 41 is formed by a lengthwise bend along the inner edge 23 of face panel 22 and constitutes the inner edge of frame 11. Stiffencr panel 42 is formed by a lengthwise bend along the edge 43 of edge panel 25. A production length of body strip is made with added width to provide added metal for the stiffener panels 41 and 42, which are formed by the bends along lines 23 and 43 as part of all the forming operations. Each stiflener panel 41 and 42 is projected laterally away from its next adjacent panel, 22 and 25 respectively, to the extent required for the desired stiffness.

It will be observed that stiffener panel 41, at the inner edge 23 of frame 11, provides added stiffness through the thickness of the frame, and stiffener panel 42, being at right angles to panel 41, provides stiffness to its rail in the direction face-wise of the frame. The result is added stifiness two-dimensionally.

By the method described hereinbefore, the entire border of frame 11 is completed by the proximate ends of bodies 20 of side and end rails 15 and 16 being secured to each other at corners 17 by means of spot welds in the areas of tabs 35, 36 and 40. Bodies 20 only complete the border of frame 11. Under preferred practice, trims 21 are secured to their respective bodies 20 later, in a manner that will be described hereinafter, and the trims 21 are not secured directly to each other at the corners 17, excepting by the bodies 20 being attached to each other by means of tabs 35, 36 and 40.

A trim piece 21 comprises a strip of the material formed to comprisea face panel 46 between opposite inner and outer securing panels 47 and 48 extending continuously widthwise of the strip, the securing panels 47 and 48 constituting bordering panels of the strips that form trims 21.

Trim 21 is secured to body 20 to form the face of frame 11 opposite the face that constitutes face panel 22 of the body. Each trim piece 21 comprises a face panel 46 between opposite securing panels 47 and 48 extending continuously widthwise.

Trim 21 also is formed in convenient production lengths, and is cut into shorter lengths that-are appropriate for trim of side and end rails 15 and 16. The several panels 46, 47 and 48 are formed to extend throughout the production length of a strip of trim 21.

The face panel 46 ofitrir'n 21'. forms the face of frame 11 that is; opposite the face that constitutes the face panel 22 of body 20. Face panel 40 is raised to bridge the ridge 28 of body 20, which it coversand hides Securing panels 47 and 48 are formed to engage each a. companion panel of body 20, the several. companion panels of the body being, on respective oppositesid'esof ridge 28.

As seen in Fig. 6, outer securing panel 48 is formed to engage the inside surface of edge panel 25 of body 20, which it contacts face-to-face continuously along, its length, the contact along edge panel-.25 being along its length adjacent to the outer stiffener panel-.42 ofv the body. Securing panel 48 is formed by the bend. along, the outer edge 49 of face panel 46,. the bend being at. right angles and sufficient to raise face. panel-'46 above the ridge 28 of body 20.

Inner securing panel 4'7 is formed to engage the. side. of body 20 opposite the face surface of. frame .11 provided by the body 20, engagement being along the trim and face-to-face with a companion surface of face panel 22 adjacent to inner stifiiener panel 41. as. seen: in Fig. 6. The inclined panel 50 between face panel 46 above the securing panel to be over ridge 28, and is formed by the reversely directed bends '1 and 52.

Trim 21, with its securing panels 47 and 48 positioned in face-to-face engagement with body 20 as seen. in Fig. 6, is secured to the body by spot welds along the securing panels 47 and 48.

Trim pieces 21 are cut diagonally along bothv end. edges at 53, Fig. 2, and are secured to their respective corresponding bodies 20 after the several bodies have been secured to each other at the corners 17' as hereinbefore described to border the frame. proximate ends of adjacent sideand end-rail trims 21 abut against each other, and the trims are held in frame 11 by each being secured to its corresponding body 20. Adjacent trims 21 are not secured directly to each other.

The screen of the disclosure is full length, and comprises two areas of screen fabric 12, instead of a single panel to cover the entire area of the frame 11. Cross rail 55, Figs. 1 and 2, is positioned between opposite end rails 16, and is secured at its opposite ends to opposite side rails 15.

Cross rail 55, Fig. 8, also consists of a body 56 and a trim 57, respectively corresponding with the body 20 and trim 21 of the side and end rails and 16. Body 56 and trim 57 are formed each of strip in convenient production lengths, and are cut to appropriate lengths for cross rail pieces 55.

Body 56, Fig. 8, is formed to comprise a face panel 58 extending widthwise to opposite edges 59. Face panel 58 is formed to comprise two troughs 60 adjacent each other and between the edges 59 of the panel. Both troughs 60 are projected into the surface of one side of body 56 that corresponds with a face of the screen frame 11, and project from the opposite side of body 56 to constitute ridges 61. Each trough 60 and its ridge 61 is formed the same as troughs and ridges 27 and 28 of side and end rail body 20, and form a matching fit as will be seen hereinafter.

The widthwise distance between each trough 60 and its adjacent edge 59 is the same as between a trough 27 and its adjacent inner edge 23 of body 20. The structure along each edge 59 of a body piece 56 of cross-rail 55 is the same as, and matches, the face panel 22 of body of side and end rails 15 and 16 along an inner edge 23.

Accordingly, body 56 is formed with a stiffener panel 62 along each edge 59, which projects from the same side of the body as ridges 61, stiffener panels 62 each being the same as, and matching, inner stiffener panel 41 of body 20 for side and end rails 15 and 16.

As seen in Fig. 5, each end edge of a cross-rail body Diagonally cut 53 of 56. is cut. with 45' bias 64 on each side, with the tab projecting from the end of the piece at its widthwise center. Additional tabs 66 project beyond the. lines of the biases 64' with one. along each. At the point where cross rail 55- is tobe joined to a side rail 15, body 20'of side rail is notched to comprise two bias cuts .67 that match the respective bias. cuts. 64 of cross-rail 55, and is provided with the lengthwise cut 68 between them. The metal. is joggled along, the lines of bias cuts 64, and similarly along the. line 70 atthelocation of tab 65.

Tab: 65 overlaps body 20. of side rail 15 on one side of ridge. 28,. and on. the other side of the ridgethe tabs 66. overlapathebody, the tabs 65 and 66 bearing against. body 20 face-to-face. and being secured thereto by spot welds. In this manner, the cross-rail 55 is secured at its ends to the side-rails 15, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. Iogg-Les 69 and 70. permit bias cuts. 64. of body 56 to abut against. bias cuts 67 of body 20, and position the face panels 58 and 22: ina common plane to constitute; one face of the frame 11.

lit will. be observed that each trough 60 meets. a trough 2'1 of side panei 15 end: to end, and forms twoc'ontinnous troughs around respective. frame areas above and below cross+rail 55, forsecuringthe edges of two areas of screen fabric 12 tozframel-I as seen. in Figs. 1, 2 and 8.

The: trim 57 of. cross-rail 55 is formed to comprise face paneli72. between securing panels 73' along respective opposite edges and: distributed widthwise. Trim 57 is formed in both directions widthwise to match trim 21 along inner edges. The face panel 72 bridges both ridges 61 of body 5:6: on respective opposite sides of both ridges and adjacent to the respective stiffener panels: 62, a seen in Fig; 8. The inclined. panels 74, formed by oppositely directed bends 75 and 76,. are disposed one between eachsecuring panel 73 and the face panel 72, and raise the face panel 72. above ridges 61 as seen in Fig. 8.

Trim 57 of cross-rail 55 is not secured directly to trim 21 of side rail 15, but is attached thereto by being secured to its body 56 by spot welds along the securing panels 73. The end edges of trim 57 are cut to include the bias cuts 77, Fig. 2, that bear against the inclined panel 50 of siderail trim 21, between the squared cut 78 that lies adjacent to the bend 52 as seen more clearly in Fig. 7.

As seen most clearly in Fig. 3, body 56 of cross-rail 55 is first secured at its ends to body 20 of side rail 15. Trim 21 is then secured to body 20 of side rail 15, and trim 57 is thereafter secured to body 56 of cross-rail 55 to complete assembly of the frame.

The finished structure is seen in Fig. 1, and more in detail in Fig. 2.

The disclosed structure is one practical embodiment only of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a structure for screens, a frame and a panel of screen fabric held thereby, the frame comprising side and end rails bordering the area of the screen, each rail constituting a body and a trim both formed of sheet material, each body constituting a strip of the material formed continuously widthwise to comprise a face panel of the frame and an edge panel of the screen, each face panel of a body extending widthwise to the inner and outer edges of the frame border and comprising a holder for the screen fabric extending lengthwise of the face panel between its inner and outer frame edges, each holder comprising a trough projected into the side of the face panel that constitutes the face of the frame and projected as a ridge out of the opposite side of the face panel, the edge panel projecting laterally from the face panel on the ridge side thereof to the extent of the thickness of the frame, each trim being positioned on the ridge side of its corresponding body and being formed of a strip of the material continuously widthwise to comprise a securing panel along each of the edges of the strip and a face panel between the securing panels, the securing panels engaging the body face-to-face on respective opposite sides of the ridge and being secured to the body along their lengths, the face panel of the trim being raised to bridge the ridge of the body, the several rails being positioned end-to-end to form the frame continuously along the border of the screen, and being secured to each other at their ends.

2. In a structure as defined in claim 1, each body comprising a stiffener panel extending lengthwise along each of the edges of its strip and projecting laterally away from its next adjacent panel.

3. In a structure for screens, a frame and a panel of screen fabric held thereby, the frame comprising side and end rails bordering the area of the screen, each rail constituting a body and a trim both formed of sheet material, each body constituting a strip of the material formed continuously widthwise to comprise a face panel of the frame and an edge panel of the screen, each face panel of a body extending widthwise to the inner and outer edges of the frame border and comprising a holder for the screen fabric extending lengthwise of the face panel between its inner and outer frame edges, each holder comprising a trough projected into the side of the face panel that constitutes the face of the frame and projected as a ridge out of the opposite side of the face panel, the edge panel projecting laterally from the face panel on the ridge side thereof to the extent of the thickness of the frame, the several bodies being positioned end-to-end to form the frame border continuously and being secured to each other at their ends, each trim being positioned on the ridge side of its corresponding body and being formed of a strip of the material continuously widthwise to comprise a securing panel along each of the edges of the strip and a face panel between the securing panel, the securing panels engaging the body face-to-face on respective opposite sides of the ridge and being secured to the body along their lengths, the face panel of the trim being raised to bridge the ridge of the body.

4. In a structure as defined in claim 3, a cross rail between the end rails and extending lengthwise from side rail to side rail, the cross rail comprising a body and a trim each formed of a strip of the sheet material, the body of the cross rail comprising a face panel and a holder for the screen fabric extending lengthwise of the face panel between the edges of the cross-rail body, the holder of the cross rail comprising a trough projected into the side of the face panel that constitutes the face of the frame and projected as a ridge out of the opposite side of the face panel, the cross-rail body being secured to the opposite side-rail bodies at its respective opposite ends, the crossrail trim being positioned on the ridge side of the cross-rail body and being formed of a strip of the material continuously widthwise to comprise a securing panel along each of the edges of the strip and a face panel between the securing panels, the securing panels of the cross-rail trim engaging the cross-rail body face-to-face on respective opposite sides of the ridge and being secured to the body along their lengths, the face panel of the cross-rail trim being raised to bridge the ridge of the cross-rail body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 823,259 Burns June 12, 1906 855,250 Kemmerling May 28, 1907 890,398 Baker June 8, 1908 970,162 Ashbaugh Sept. 13, 1910 1,002,781 Swart Sept. 5, 1911 1,192,838 Abel Aug. 1, 1916 1,583,972 Holaday May 11, 1926 1,588,161 Bost June 8, 1926 1,734,710 Borchert Nov. 5, 1929 

